KL Report
SRINAGAR
Expressing relief at the grant of bail to Liyaqat Shah by a court in New Delhi, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Friday said it is now obvious that the charges slapped against him by Delhi Police were not true as pointed out at the time of his arrest.
As per a statement the spokesperson of the party has said that final verdict of the court is still to come, the relief granted to Liyaqat has raised hopes of a fair trial for him.
He said, “Liyaqatat’s case should lead to focusing on the plight of numerous young people from Kashmir who are languishing in different jails of the country including Delhi’s Tihar prison.” And added, “The news report that 15 Kashmiri prisoners had been dumped into a small 8+8 cell in Tihar jail is a cause of deep concern and worry. The PDP reiterates its demand for a white paper on the status of all prisoners in various jails of the country and providing legal assistance to those among them who can’t afford it.”
Referring to recent acquittal of some Kashmiri youth accused of terrorist activities, the spokesman said it is unfortunate that Muslims in general and Kashmiris in particular are viewed with suspicion. He has said many lives have been destroyed by malicious arrest and prosecution of innocents and there is need to end this victimization on patently religious grounds. “People from Kashmir and Muslims from elsewhere are not able easily to get accommodation and are the first targets of police whenever a terror incident takes place,” he said and added such an attitude is unfortunately pushing Muslim youth to alienation and extremism and the vicious cycle of brutalities on innocents continues unabated.
The spokesman has said the rehabilitation policy for the people who crossed the LoC needs to be revisited in view of the loopholes that came into notice after Liyaqat fiasco. He said the policy needs to be streamlined to ensure hassle free return of our youth and their purposeful rehabilitation. “At present the returning militants who had gone as young people and are now middle aged persons with families are facing immense problems in absence of a proper rehabilitation that should include their sustenance, schooling of their children, benefits of citizenship like ration cards, passports etc and the nationality issues of their spouses” he added.
